How Relevant Is Your Church Right Now?

Your church’s growth depends largely on how relevant your church is right now. Church relevance is often how existing members and visitors judge your church. While what worked 30 or 40 years ago helped with growth then, you might have noticed a less engaged church family if your church isn’t relevant today. Your church doesn’t have to stay on the cutting edge of technology to stay relevant. However, change is crucial for growing your church with new members for generations to come.

When Was Your Last Change?

Think about the last major change in your church. How long ago was it? If you can’t remember, your focus might not be on church relevance at all. Change is vital for a church to grow. From a more modern look inside to trying a more engaging preaching style, members need change. This is especially true to attract younger members. Yes, change does result in some conflict, but it’s necessary for continuing to bring in new visitors. Think of your church as a business. Businesses make major changes on a regular basis to stay current and competitive. Your church must do the same to stay relevant to members and future members.

How Varied Are Your Members?

This is a problem many smaller churches have. New visitors quickly judge church relevance based on the variety of members. Age, background, ethnicity and more all contribute to a more varied church family. With small churches, the community is smaller and it’s hard to bring in new members, especially if your church is mainly filled with older members. Improve your church’s relevance by making at least small changes to bring in more variety for a church family that attracts new members of all ages and backgrounds.

Is Your Church Online?

Though church websites are nothing new, many churches still balk at the idea of taking their church online. However, a relevant church is one that has an online presence. After all, it’s often how new visitors find your church and how members and non-members interact with the church throughout the week. There’s a reason that people say a tech church is a growing church. It shows that your church is more modern and works to fill the needs of members of all ages. The Internet has made it possible for churches to stay in contact like never before and that’s something all churches can benefit from.

Does Contemporary Exist In Your Music?

A change in music also makes many members and church leaders instantly say “no.” Let’s be honest - every generation disagrees on music. However, would you want to attend church where your musical tastes were immediately discarded? A quick way to judge church relevance is the music. While it may not make or break the church, it does have some effect on growth. If your church never incorporates anything other than traditional hymns, younger members may not be interested in coming. However, going completely contemporary may push older members away. A truly relevant church knows the solution is blended music. Traditional hymns along with contemporary Christian music please both sides and shows members you value all their tastes in music.

Are Leaders All The Same Age?

As leaders get older, they tend to get set in their ways. Church relevance is typically a problem when all your church leaders are around the same age. When leaders are all older, change rarely happens. Of course, all younger leaders could result in a church with few to no older members. To boost growth and relevance, it’s important to have both younger and older leaders. This allows leaders to learn from each other. The church also benefits from a variety of different viewpoints and ideas.

How Do You Approach Current Culture?

The church isn’t a place to lock yourself away from current culture. Church relevance is often based on how culturally relevant the church itself is. It’s important to incorporate today’s culture into your church. After all, your members are dealing with today’s culture and they need guidance that’s relevant to them today. Some churches approach current culture with a completely negative attitude. This just drives younger members away. It’s important to find a middle ground and guide all your members equally. God’s word is applicable no matter what the culture is like. You just have to ensure your church stays relevant to address cultural issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does church relevance matter for growth?

Relevance is often how members and visitors judge your church, and growth depends heavily on it. What worked 30 or 40 years ago will not necessarily engage people today, and a stale approach shows in a less engaged church family. You do not have to stay on technology’s cutting edge, but you do have to change to keep attracting new members for generations to come. Think of it the way a business stays current to remain competitive.

How do I make my church more relevant?

Start by asking when your last major change was, since a long blank means relevance is not your focus. From there, modernize your look, freshen your preaching style, build an online presence, and broaden the variety of your members. Mix in younger and older leaders so they learn from each other and bring different viewpoints. Small, intentional changes add up to a church that keeps drawing new visitors.

Should my church use contemporary or traditional music?

Blended is usually the answer. Every generation disagrees on music, so going fully traditional can lose younger members while going fully contemporary can push older ones away. Mixing traditional hymns with contemporary Christian music shows you value everyone’s tastes. Music will not make or break your church, but it does affect growth, so do not discard anyone’s preferences outright.

Does my church need to be online to stay relevant?

Yes. A relevant church has an online presence, because that is often how new visitors find you and how everyone interacts with the church through the week. A tech church is a growing church: being online signals that you are modern and meeting the needs of members of all ages. The internet lets churches stay connected like never before, and that benefits congregations of every size.

How should a church engage with current culture?

Engage it, do not hide from it. Your members are living in today’s culture and need guidance that speaks to their actual lives. Approaching culture with a purely negative attitude drives younger members away, so find a middle ground and guide everyone equally. God’s word applies no matter the culture; your job is to stay relevant enough to address the issues people are really facing.

Looking for ways to be more relevant today? Now is the time to take your church online and engage with your members in new ways.